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by AKMAR ANNUAR
THE investigation paper on the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir (picture) will be handed to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) today, although concerns persist over whether key aspects of the case were adequately examined.
IGP Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail confirmed the update, stating that the probe had concluded and the case file would be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor.
“The investigation paper into the case has been completed and it will be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor today, insya-Allah,” he was quoted as saying by Malaysiakini.
The AGC is expected to issue a formal statement later today regarding the case’s next course of action.
Zara Qairina, a Form One student at SMK Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Sabah, was found unconscious in a drain near the school hostel around 3am on July 16.
She died the following day at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu due to severe injuries. Preliminary accounts indicated a fall from the third floor of the hostel building, though police have yet to rule out bullying as a possible factor.
The case has since been escalated to Bukit Aman for further review. Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail previously said that police had recorded statements from approximately 60 individuals in the course of their investigation.
However, Zara Qairina’s family has raised serious concerns over the integrity of the police investigation.
Lawyers representing the family said authorities failed to secure critical evidence and did not conduct a post-mortem prior to her burial.
In a joint statement, lawyers Ismail Hamid and Shahlan Jufri claimed that Zara Qairina’s clothes and belongings from the night of the incident were handed by the hospital to her mother on July 16 and later placed in the custody of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) representative appointed to assist the family.
They alleged that police made no effort to retrieve these items for forensic examination.
“We are of the view that the investigation paper that the police are submitting to the AGC is incomplete, not thorough and has a very narrow focus,” they said.
They also criticised the absence of a post-mortem, arguing it left significant gaps in understanding the true cause of death.
In response, Zara Qairina’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, has appointed legal counsel to begin the process of exhuming her daughter’s remains for a belated autopsy.
Zara Qairina’s death has ignited public concern over student welfare and institutional accountability.
Civil society groups have since called for a transparent and comprehensive review of the case, urging authorities to ensure that all evidence is thoroughly examined before any conclusion is reached.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether any criminal elements have been established, pending the AGC’s assessment of the submitted investigation paper.
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